Short Story Club
In My View
- Living A Value Based Life
- Self-Care In A Crisis
- Baby Girl Expectations
- My Feminist Journey
- The Experiential Diary
Professor Dave, the Storyteller
My love for Rap and Hip-Hop came from our American counterparts. I had very little interested in the genre in the UK and for the longest time, I actively disliked grime and thought the wording was appropriate in terms of how I viewed it.
As I’ve grown, my love affair with the British music scene has sweetened and in the past decade I have grown a lot of love and appreciation for British rappers. The likes of Kano, Wretch 32, Giggs, Skepta, Krept n Konan were my early introductions that had me falling in love, then as time has gone by, I have been impressed by young guns such as Stormzy, J Hus, Yxng Bane etc.
Out of everyone that’s made me love UK Rap/Hip-Hop/Grime, the man that stands out most to me is Dave. Active since 2015, but not active in my playlists until 2017. I’d heard the remix of Wanna Know in various clubs as it featured Drake, but otherwise Dave was a stranger to me.
In the winter of 2017, I had subscribed to an Apple Music curated playlist labelled UK Rap. On that playlist I came across a song called Question Time and there the love affair began. His words ran through my mind and I was honoured to be listening to such a coherent, clever young man.
Years ago, in GCSE English we had speaking and listening assessments where we had to generate and recite a monologue based on a character in literature. I chose to be Othello and my monologue was based on having killed my wife and finding out of my friend’s betrayal that had led to that moment and the regret I felt. I managed to get 14/15 for content and 15/15 for delivery.
I was very proud and wondered what it would take to 30/30. What would it take to elevate my content to get maximum marks? Now, I’ll never know, but I have a sneaking suspicion that someone of Dave’s calibre would be able to do so with such ease, and here’s why.
In my favourite tracks by Dave, content and delivery meet perfectly and the monologues he pens matched with his flow allow for real life stories to come to life. There are several tacks of Dave’s that demonstrate his talents and his ability as a storyteller.
Picture Me (2016)
Picture Me is a track where Dave envisions the possibilities of life and explores what life could be like if he continues on his trajectory or what it could’ve been like had he chosen a different path. He explores the different possibilities for a young black boy from Streatham, then states how he will manifest his own destiny and paint his own picture.
He encourages the youth to do the same and paint their lives according to how they want to live and what they want to achieve. Empowerment radiates from this track and the message he gives to his listeners is that they have the ability to paint pictures about their lives and they should do what makes them happiest.
Question Time (2017)
Question Time is seven minutes of questions we all want to ask our political leaders. Here Dave uses his life experiences and channels his frustrations and distrust of politicians into poignant questions for them. He speaks primarily to Theresa May, David Cameron and Jeremy Corbyn.
He directs questions about the current failing system towards Ms May and expresses his opinions about her personal conduct with tragedies such as Grenfell and the alludes to her “There’s no money tree” comment, when talking about the workers of the NHS. Here he criticises the government and its priorities, whilst suggesting that the government does not care for people who are not part of the upper class or elite.
After the critique of May, he moves onto David Cameron in attempt to hold him accountable for his actions that have led to the current political climate something Dave and many others believe he dodged.
Throughout the song, Dave uses his experiences as working class ethnic minority to describe what the government has done from his perspective, therefore, when he addresses Jeremy Corbyn, he questions whether he is someone that will make a difference or is all talk like the others. In this seven-minute track Dave lays out so much and there is plenty to unpack.
This track was a blessing because it feels like Dave is giving a political voice to the voiceless. Dave delivers all the information and his thoughts with raw emotion, ending the track by urging the youth to vote, protest or anything at all to help better the situation.
Less than a month away from the next general election, I would love to hear a Question Time II, I know it would be amazing and it would be packed with so much more much needed critique of government officials. It probably won’t happen, but there’s no one who would do as good a job as Santan Dave.
How I Met My Ex (2017)
How I Met My Ex is a heartfelt track that follows the inception and demise of Dave’s relationship with a former partner of his. When asked how long it took him to write this song on Twitter, he responded that it took him a month and from the details and structure he provides and the journey you go through as a listener, it shows.
As all stories of love begin, he guides us through the infatuation from the start, the meet cute and the beauty of a budding romance. Then as he progresses, the reality of relationships whilst young and occupied with fame are brought to light.
This track is beautiful because it’s reflective and showcases the rapper’s vulnerability. When looking back we gauge things that weren’t evident at the time things occurred and here Dave is very open and honest about his insecurities that led to the termination of their relationship and changed their dynamics.
What makes the track exceptional is the acknowledgement of blame and the implied desire to do better if the chance of love presents itself to him again. What makes the track even more special is that Dave is able to talk about the relationship and reflect without being crude or rude. There is great admiration and respect for the ex in question and this level of maturity is not often seen in rap tracks about a former partner, so it is beautiful to see, especially from such a young man.
The tale he tells is familiar for plenty of young people and I feel that hearing it perhaps made a difference in the lives of a few of them and allowed them to express certain emotions and get things off their chest. How I Met My Ex is a track you should definitely listen to if you haven’t already, I’m sure it can teach you something.
Lesley (2019)
Lesley is a track that reduced me to tears at first listen. It explores the turbulent life of a woman Dave commutes with on the train and how her bout with domestic violence affects her life.
The journey of Lesley begins on a train commute and ends with her in a coma fighting for hers and her baby’s life. Within Dave’s recital of her story he describes a familiar tale of a woman whose livelihood succumbs to an abusive relationship with a controlling man. We hear how she endures difficult circumstances, is surrounded by disingenuous people and falls victim to a horrendous attack from her cruel partner.
After concluding the story of Lesley, Dave states how this issue of domestic violence is one that he and many others cannot ever truly understand, but brings it to our attention that we may know people living in similar situations and calls it upon us to help them so they do not end up like Lesley.
For nine minutes straight Dave tells this heartbreaking story with all the composure and compassion one can give. Not everyone wants to talk about the hard topics, but Dave goes out of his way because he understands how domestic violence affects everyone.
In Lesley, Dave shows just how the lives of people intertwine and how we never know what people are going through unless we sit down and take the time to listen.
Black (2019)
Black. It’s not anti-white, it’s pro-back. A track attacked by some and labelled as ‘racist’ by others. It’s obvious they weren’t the target audience, hence, their hate towards such a beautiful track which they didn’t understand.
The black experience is one that is personal, but there are instances within our lives that are shared experiences as black people. Dave’s understanding of blackness is mainly associated with his personal experiences, but he does so in a way that others can relate.
In this almost four-minute track, he uses his time to put shine on all his black peers and remind them of their greatness, because he identifies that within our society, the celebration of blackness has often been non-existent or frowned upon.
The Painted Picture
It’s apparent that my favourite Dave tracks are those with a simple piano background where he takes a brush and paints a picture with his words. It is evident that he is an articulate young man and a marvellous storyteller – one of the greatest on the British music scene in my opinion.
In so many of these tracks one can see themselves in it and can truly see the story that Dave is telling as if it were through their own eyes. I feel honoured to be living in a time where poets such as Dave exist and outside of the narrations, he impresses on all types of tracks. His wordplay can be fun, exciting and energetic as well as raw, real and pensive.
The way in which he is able to fuse sentences together is reflective of an A* English student. I’d like to think that if his passion wasn’t music that he’d make a great writer and be a successful novelist or screenplay writer.
The talent which he holds, and shares is a talent we are truly blessed to be acquainted with. He has been around for four years in the public eye, already he has given so much and his drive and passion let me know that he has more to give and more great things will come from this young man.
Here is an artist who says things that make sense. He is an artist whose experiences are relatable, even whilst leading a different lifestyle. Here is a young man letting the youth know that it’s okay to reflect, it’s okay to get raw, it’s okay to be emotional.
Expressing yourself is a gift and when it is done right you can possibly get some beautiful art, like the music of David Orobosa Omoregie. Many thanks for your art and using your platform in a very human way.